


Hamilton's Shot

by 203_508



Series: Class Project [16]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Blood and Injury, Dreams, F/M, Gunshot Wounds, Hamilton Alive, Hamilton References, M/M, Medical Procedures, Mild Language, Multi, Slavery, Surgery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26508046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/203_508/pseuds/203_508
Summary: What happens when Hamilton survives the duel with Burr and goes to work on his newly discovered passion?
Relationships: Aaron Burr/Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr/William P. Van Ness, Alexander Hamilton/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Bayard/Hosack/Hamilton
Series: Class Project [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1926754
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Hamilton's Shot

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fan fiction, so I am sorry if it is not good! Hamilton is my favorite fandom to be a part of and I always wonder what he would have done if his time was not cut short. I tried to be as historically accurate as possible, but probably still fell short. We were required to write a fan fiction for my college class and I will most likely not continue this work unless (for some reason) people want more. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Suddenly Hamilton is carried away. Burr stands ten feet away with his pistol still raised. Frozen. It is only when Alexander is being rowed back to New York with the medic that Burr finally flees the scene. He did it. He shot his sworn enemy. He should have been feeling relief at this moment, but instead he felt guilty. Why did Alex not shoot?

*

Alexander is carried by a few strong men to a nearby home of William Bayard Jr. He had prepared a sterile area beforehand in case something was to happen at the duel. The doctor, Dr. David Hosack was on site in case one of the men shot. Alexander had told Hosack before the duel that he was not going to shoot, so it was a surprise to both men when they heard a gun fire. It was only half an hour after sunrise and completely silent. The bullet had entered Alexander directly between two of his ribs. Luckily, the bullet had not pierced any organs, but the combination of the force brought on by the bullet, the fall to the ground, and the handling by the men, three of Alexander’s ribs had been broken. Alexander was in immense pain, but pain was good in this situation. Pain meant that he was alive.

Alexander had been losing a lot of blood which caused him to lose consciousness. He lost consciousness two or three times between the shot and being on the operating table. Every time he would wake, he would say “Eliza”. And every time the doctor would say “we are finding Eliza”. The men did not think much of the situation, but every time Alex was awake again, he would gain volume with his request. “ELIZA!” he would say one final time before being unconscious while the doctor worked. The doctor tried his best to slow the blood loss, but the bullet and repairing the ribs was his main goal. Alexander continued to lose blood as the doctor worked and had lost about fifty percent of his blood volume before the doctor was finished. 

Alexander would not wake up for a few hours now, but he would likely survive. “Holy shit” the doctor said as he stepped away from the table. “Has anyone seen Burr?” he said while gripping his glass of water and a towel off a nearby table.

*

Burr sat impatiently at a bar top waiting for news about Hamilton’s condition. Burr’s second at the duel, William P. Van Ness, had entered the bar. 

“I have been looking for you everywhere, big man” he said while grabbing Burr’s shoulder. Burr did not look up. 

“He’s dead, isn't he?” Burr said with a furrowed brow. 

“Not yet” Van Ness responded while getting the bartender’s attention. 

“Another round on me” he said while sitting on a nearby stool. 

“I sent James over to Bayard’s to check it out. He should be back soon” he said while taking a drink out of Burr’s cup. 

“Why aren’t you celebrating?” he asked with a smile

“He finally got what he deserved!”

“He has a family” Burr said quickly

“Theodosia is all I could think of at that moment. She already lost her mother; she could not lose me too” Burr says raising his head.

“Eliza would have been crushed. She just lost her son three years ago. What was I thinking?” he said bringing his head back down

“This guy has made your life hell for almost thirty years, Aaron, he got what he deserved” Van Ness said looking around the room. The men sat quietly.

*

James arrives at Baynard’s house a few seconds after Eliza.\

“WHERE IS HE” Eliza exclaims in the doorway of the house

“He is in the back room, resting. He should be awake in an hour or so” Hosack says while lifting from his seat. Eliza looks less worried. 

“So, is he alright?” she asks in a more worrisome tone.

“He will be. Let him rest.”

“Hamilton doesn't rest,” Baynard said quietly from another seat. They all smiled softly.

They all knew this was true. Hamilton was notorious for being non-stop. Twenty years ago, when Hamilton along with James Madison and John Jay agreed to write the federalist papers, twenty-five in total, and divide the work up evenly as possible amongst the three men, in the end, the three men wrote eighty-five papers in a span of six-months. Hamilton wrote fifty-one of these essays. Five times the amount they agreed they would each write. Hamilton is most known for being George Washington’s secretary, but his work behind the scenes is what built America. This injury was not going to end his life’s work. 

Baynard showed Eliza to Alexander while James entered the house. Hosack turned his glance quickly.

“Why are you here” he asked sharply

“Van Ness sent me to check on Mr. Hamilton” he says 

“He is still alive, much to their dismay” Hosack says while sitting back down.

“Go report that to your bosses” he says snarkily while taking another sip

“Yes sir” James says while leaving the house. He was only a mere twenty years old and worked under Van Ness at the district court office. Mostly running errands and filling up his ink, but sometimes he was sent on interesting tasks like this one. “He is still alive” James says with a smile while heading back to Burr and Van Ness. Hamilton was a legend. He was his boss’s best friend’s enemy, but that just made him cooler. James had seen Alexander hundreds of times around their office at the courthouse. Hamilton always worked well into the night and would sometimes chat with James about his future plans whenever their paths crossed. 

*

In the back room, Alexander lays slightly elevated when Eliza walks in. On the table beside him he has a glass of water and a note. The note read

_DO NOT MOVE. Eliza is on her way. You broke some ribs and lost a lot of blood._

Alexander’s eyes opened when he heard Eliza enter. He immediately tried to get up.

“Why did I even bother with the note?” Bayard says while rolling his eyes. 

Eliza rushed to him grabbing his arm that was not in a sling. “Alexander!” she says. He smiles when he sees her. 

“I’m so sorry” he says weakly

“I know,” she says, still holding his hand. She is relieved to see he is okay. 

The three of them sit in the room as Bayer explains to Eliza what happened.

“Where is Burr?” she asks.

“No one knows.” Bayer says back.

“Actually,” Hosack says while entering the room with some pills.

“His little errand boy just came sniffing. I sent him away” Hosack says as everyone shifts their attention to the doctor.

“You weren't supposed to be awake for a few more hours, Hamilton,” he says while approaching Alexander’s beside

“I was never one for rule following” Alex says back with a smile

“Would you like to get something to drink? Bayard asks Eliza while gesturing out the door. They both leave. 

“How are you feeling” Hosack asks

“Like shit” Hamilton responds

Hosack chuckles. “Yeah, you were shot, man”

Hamilton laughs while in pain. 

“I’ve got something right here for that” he says holding up the pill bottle.

“I know you don't want to hear this, but you just need to be resting, taking fluids, and these pills for the next couple of days while your body heals” he says sincerely. He takes two pills out of the bottle and hands them to Alexander with a glass of water. He takes them.

“I will tell Eliza about the medicine, but I need you to rest” he says placing the bottle on the table

“I'll try my best,” Alex says while laying back down on the bed.

“I think you should stay here for the night, but you can go home tomorrow” he says while walking out of the room “call for me or Will if you need anything”

Alex closes his eyes until Hosack is down the hall. 

He reaches for the bottle. 

_**Hydrojenizine**  
Take two by mouth every four hours as needed for twelve days  
May cause dizziness, nausea, abnormal dreams, flatulence, and drowsiness_

“Twelve days?” Alexander says with defeat.

“Burr finally got what he wanted. I am going to be so behind” he says as he drifts off to sleep

*

Across the river in New Jersey, James arrives at the bar. Burr and Van Ness watch him as he opens the door and enters.

Burr holds his breath.

“He is alright” James says as he approaches. “Hosack got the bullet out and fixed his ribs. He lost a lot of blood, but he said he should be fine” James says as Van Ness hands him a drink.

Burr immediately leaves the bar.

“Where are you going!?” Van Ness exclaims after him.

“To see my daughter” Burr responds. He does not look back. 

James and Van Ness look at each other and shrug. Van Ness gestures for James to sit and they continue to drink.

*

A few hours pass by. Eliza had gone back home to their kids, and left Alexander a note saying to feel better and that she would be back in the morning. 

Alexander in a deep sleep, suddenly jolted awake. 

He grabs the paper with the note Eliza left him and the nearby pencil and begins to write. 

“Laurens. Hands. Black. Men.” he begins to write.

Baynard enters the room.

“Alright?” he says while entering.

“Yeah I just had this strange dream” Hamilton says while adjusting his sling.

“Laurens was there,” he says trying to recall the dream. 

“He was walking towards me with a group of black men” he says

“They all had books and were talking and walking”

“Black men?” Baynard says surprisingly

“Why were you dreaming of black men?” he asks

“I don't know,” Alex says defeatedly. 

“I think Laurens was trying to tell me something”

“Well if you’re alright I’m going to head back to bed” Baynard says leaving the room.

“Thanks, Baynard,” Alex says after him. He stays awake after, pondering his dream. 

“What are trying to say to me, John” he says quietly

John Laurens had been dead for almost twenty years now. He is best known for being an American soldier and statesman during the revolutionary war, and for being Hamilton’s right-hand man. He was even the best man at his wedding. John Laurens was openly critical of slavery, something uncommon at this time. Laurens worked to allow slaves to help defend America and was given permission to recruit 3,000 slaves and lead them in the war. Laurens was killed in action in the Battle of the Combahee river in 1782. Laurens often discussed slavery with Hamilton, but he remained mostly impartial. As America grew, Hamilton began to more clearly see the disadvantages of slavery but focused his attention else ware.

Hamilton sat back in his bed. He remembers in his dream, Laurens approaching him with a black man and shaking the man’s hand. Laurens smiles and walks away. Leaving Hamilton and the man standing together as the other black men watch behind. 

Alexander stays up writing his dream out for an hour before he sets the supplies down and tries to sleep a few more hours.

*

The next morning, Alexander is awoken when Eliza enters the room. 

He had the dream again.

She brought him a change of clothes and a bag. She is happy to see he is still alive. She kisses Alexander before helping him collect his things so he can leave. She picks up the note she left and examines the back where Alexander had written his dream down. There was no other paper in the room, so he has written in very small print. 

“What is this?” she asks

“Oh, nothing. Just a dream I had last night

“Laurens was there?”

“Yeah, I am still trying to figure it out” he says as she hands him the paper

“Laurens was very against slavery, right? It sounds like he was showing you the way to something… to a better way of thinking” she says

“He knew I was ambivalent about slavery when he died”

“Maybe your near-death experience connected you to him in some way”

“Yeah maybe” he says as Eliza leaves the room with his bag.

He holds back a minute, thinking about what she said.

Alexander grabs the pencil again

“End slavery?” he writes at the bottom of his note.

He leaves the room.

*

Alexander and Eliza headed towards their home. 

Since moving into the city three years ago after their son died, it was quicker to walk wherever they needed than to find another mode of transportation. 

The Hamilton’s only lived two blocks from Baynard’s house, but this did not mean their interactions with other people were in the slightest. 

The Hamiltons were already well known around America but being front page news only caused more stares. 

Though their walk should have only taken about ten minutes, Alexander and Eliza walked upwards of an hour, stopping every few minutes to talk to someone new. Alexander was always very personable and had a way with words that made any conversation with him meaningful. 

When they finally arrived home, Alexander received hugs and kisses from all of his children who were glad to see their father was doing well. 

Alexander started his way towards the study when Eliza blocked his path and helped him towards their bedroom.

“But I-” Alexander said

“America can wait,” Eliza said in a motherly tone. 

Alex knew she was right. He took some more medicine and dozed off.

Alexander was dreaming again. This time having dinner in the courthouse with Laurens and a black man. This man was different from the man in the previous dream. As the men continue to eat and discuss their families and work, a young woman comes in the room and says,   
“Mr. President?” 

Dreaming Alexander and Laurens both looked at the third man. 

“Yes?” he answered.

Alexander woke up. He looked around the room to try to figure out the time. 

On his bedside table Eliza had left another note. 

“Going out for groceries, be back soon. Please rest”

He determined that it must be late afternoon. 

Alexander ponders for a moment about his dream. 

“I need to write,” he says before exiting his bed. 

In his study, Alexander begins to write down all three of his dreams from beginning to end and remembers what Eliza had said earlier. He glances down at his note that says, “End slavery?” and freezes.

“This is what Laurens was telling me” he says aloud

“I have to finish what he wanted to do. Laurens’ time was cut short on this Earth. I have to do this for him. For America” he thinks before setting up his workstation

Alexander works for hours before he hears a knock at the door. 

He opens it to see Aaron Burr.

“Can we talk?” Aaron says with his hat in his hand.

Hamilton and Burr walk back to his study. 

The men sit as Hamilton offers Burr a drink. He declines. 

Hamilton sits facing Burr. 

“Thank you for letting me in your home,” Burr begins. 

“I just wanted to start out by apologizing” 

“There is no need” Alexander says back.

“... but I shot you?” Burr says confused.

“I deserved it. I was an ass,” Hamilton says. Both men laugh.

“Really Burr. I understand. I am glad you stood up for something you believe in” Alexander says sincerely.

Both men sit for a few moments as the tension eases

“Do you remember when we first met?” Burr asks

“I remember talking your ear off. You should have shot me right then” 

They laugh again. They hear Eliza arriving home. 

“How is Eliza by the way?” Burr asks

“She is doing well. Very busy with the kids and me” Hamilton answers.

“And Theodosia?” he asks

“She is doing great, as well, her son was born around the same time as your youngest. I actually went to visit her that night” Aaron replies.

They make small talk until Eliza enters the room

“I told you needed to re-” she says entering the room and then spotting Burr.

“It is alright” Alexander says while grabbing Eliza’s hand

“My old friend and I are just chatting,” he says, smiling at her. 

She understands.

“Have you shown him what you are working on?” Eliza asks

“How did you know I was working on this?” Alex asks

“Oh, please” she says with attitude. “We have been married for twenty-four years, Alexander” she laughs

Hamilton brings his many papers over to Burr to read. 

He does not talk. 

Hamilton had written ten pages about slavery in the few hours that Eliza was gone.

Burr sets the papers down.  
.  
“This is genius” he says softly but genuinely.

“I am not just saying this because I shot you. I really think this could revolutionize America” Burr says

“I will let you boys talk. Are you staying for dinner?” Eliza asks

“I think I will” Burr responds

The men work together for hours on end as the day becomes night. Burr and Hamilton write simultaneously, helping each other in the process. Alexander’s pain begins to return, and the two men call it a night. 

*

Burr returns the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that and so on.

After a year of hard work and constructing a flawless plan and recruiting many other men and women by their side, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr are able to present to President Jefferson their plan to free the slaves and guarantee them jobs, housing, representation in congress, and rights protected by the constitution. 

Separately, neither men would have succeeded in this task, but together, they were able to establish the Laurens Act of 1805. This act guaranteed that both men would go down in history for ending slavery, not as someone’s secretary or vice president. Their legacies were secure. They once believed that the world was too small for both men to live harmoniously, but when working together, the world is definitely wide enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Cookies for Kudos


End file.
